Why we need to #Chill: New book says mindfulness is key to break work addiction
Being chill isn’t something you do, it’s a state of being.
Let that sink in.
“Learning to chill and relax internally isn’t a task, it’s a mindset,” Dr. Bryan Robinson, author of “#CHILL: Turn Off Your Job and Turn On Your Life,” told "Good Morning America."
A licensed psychotherapist, Robinson describes his new book as an “ultimate guide to finding time to relax, slow down and live better.”
For many of us, that means stepping back from behaviors such as staying hours after a normal shift to get projects done, not taking vacation time, putting work ahead of family and friends, staying overly-connected on our smart devices and much more.
To facilitate that process, the book takes the reader through a full calendar year and a month-by-month manifesto, with day-by-day “chillers” to transform you into someone who is chill, rather than someone who can be chill.
Robinson challenges his readers to accept limitations in their lives and to combat the harmful feelings that we may develop.
"Self-victimization, negativity and self-pity become habitual ways of thinking" as we fail to recognize and heed the need to slow down and take an internal inventory, Robinson said.
He also challenges readers to accept some uncertainty.
"Uncertainty is uncertain," he writes. "Your ability to accept it beforehand cultivates peace of mind."
Internal change is the key, according to Robinson. It’s something you train your mind, body and soul to do over time. It’s how you react and respond to any given situation or obstacle. It’s knowing when and how to dial it back when you realize you’re in over your head -- emotionally and tangibly.
“When you’re in ‘chill,’ you’re paying attention to what’s going on inside yourself,” Robinson told "GMA."
“Mother Nature wires us to react. Shifting perspective and way of thinking will help decide who you want to be in the world and how you show up in it.”
Mindfulness, Robinson said, is paramount to the overall purpose and goal of becoming more chill.
“Being mindful is being more present in the moment, rather than regretting the past or worrying about the future.”
Being chill isn't something you do, it's a state of being.
Though Robinson creates a yearlong, transformative journey to a new and more relaxed self, he offers a handful of “micro-chillers” as well. These are ways to help condition your mind to process thoughts and situations on a daily basis.
Here are his tips:
1. Make a list of “tall-comings” along with your shortcomings
Take inventory of yourself and look at life through a different, more positive lens.
2. Make a 'to be' list along with a 'to do' list
Doing and being are two different things. Don’t just do great, be great.
3. HALT = Hungry / Angry / Lonely / Tired
Feeling reactionary? Use HALT to identify what is affecting your mood so you can make a decision on how to react effectively based on what's really going on inside.
“A lot of people are in a foot race with technology, boundaries have been erased … even retirees are becoming burned out,” Robinson told "GMA."
Whether you’re a self-described workaholic, an overachiever or a perfectionist, Robinson underscores that his new book and methods are for anyone who wants to be reset their thinking and effectively take their life back.
“#CHILL: Turn Off Your Job and Turn On Your Life” is available now.
